


Will You Come Back This Way Again?

by MythologyPastry



Category: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), How the Grinch Stole Christmas! - Dr. Seuss
Genre: Childhood Friends, Cute, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Pining, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Strangers, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:20:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25524286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MythologyPastry/pseuds/MythologyPastry
Summary: Martha May Whovier just wanted to walk home, not see someone she hasn't stopped dreaming of since their youth.
Relationships: The Grinch/Martha May Whovier
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	Will You Come Back This Way Again?

Whoville is bustling in its summer, children selling flowers down by town square and teenagers gathered in groups of their favorite friends. Martha May Whovier walks through the produce market. The whoberry pie she's going to bake for the fair will be the best dessert there. The judges will give her the victory, she's certain. The third prize last year was good but not good enough.

She likes to win. A little healthy, or perhaps sugary, competition never hurt anyone. Besides, she'll get to bring home the summer jubilee ribbon, and wouldn't that just make the greatest decoration outside her bedroom door?

Martha weaves in and out of a crowd of guys, just a few years younger than her, and one meets her eye with a grin. She smiles and winks at him, only to laugh as his face grows flustered. She wouldn't date him, she doesn't even know his name, but it's always so fun to pretend every now and then. There are too many people at the market though, so once she checks the final item off her list, she leaves. She might like attention, but that doesn't necessarily mean she likes people poking and prodding around her.

She makes her way down side streets until eventually there's no one left but her and her thoughts. A nice floral designed pie is always good. Classic. It'll be perfect.

Martha's behind the movie theater, one of her favorite shortcuts, when a man slips out a maintenance door. He's dressed in, quite frankly, a hideous cloak and doesn't seem to notice her as he slips out, saying something quietly to himself. "-And then I'll fix the door."

"What door?" She asks, just a few feet behind him.

He flinches at the sound of her voice, but he doesn't turn around nor does he stop his brisk pace. She matches, footsteps just a tad faster. "I need to replace some hardware." While his demeanor might need some work, Martha bites her lip at his voice. He sounds so deliciously familiar. Maybe some networking is in order.

She clears her throat, brushing some nonexistent lint from her skirt with a free hand. "I hope you got the replacements from my cousin's new store. McWho Supplies is an upcoming store just for those needs. Very promising, I assure you."

"Oh?" He asks snappily. "And just who might you be? I'd assume any cousin of McWho would say that."

Martha scoffs at the challenge in his tone. She stares intently at the back of his hooded head as she responds, "I am Martha May Whovier, and I only recommend the best in town."

He stops, and she almost walks into him but stops. "I'll have to check out its stuff sometime." He eventually says, tone softening into something Martha can't place. "But not right now."

"I could walk you there." She just can't help herself. "It's not far. Benny would love a new customer."

"I said not now." And with that, he speeds up towards the next alley. She glances down at her basket before walking at her original pace. The man's interesting, but if he's busy, then maybe it just can't be helped. Martha almost writes him off, but he surprises her. "Martha?" She smiles at how he forms her name, like it's the most important thing he's said all day.

"Yes?" She follows him around the corner, just to see what he says.

"What's got you so happy? Don't you know you're not supposed to talk to strangers, like a good little who?"

"I'm going to make the pie that wins the Summer Jubilee contest," She says proudly and pulls her basket closer to her body to hold with both hands. She hesitates for a second but decides to commit to the question on the tip of her tongue anyway. "Who said I had to be a _good_ little who?" She asks, voice like warm honey dripping off a finger. He's several feet away from her at this point, but she can hear the defeat in his body as he exhales.

"Anyway!" She holds back a laugh at the near panic in his voice. "You have fun with your pie, gotta go now."

"Oh." He practically runs from her at this point, and when she can't see him past the corner, she grins. "Bye!" She shouts, raising slightly on her toes.

She takes a step back, almost like she's waiting to see him run back, but of course he doesn't. Martha giggles and turns around. Now it's time to actually walk the way to her house, her having followed him into the next alley just out of curiosity. Well, not just curiosity.

Nothing came of it though. She can't help but feel stupid for being so earnestly disappointed. She didn't even get his name! He put it best; they're strangers. She would love to talk again though. She'll have to see if the theater has a new snarky employee next time she goes with a friend.

**Author's Note:**

> i have sunk way too low but i did it
> 
> there just wasn't enough
> 
> but now there's more martha/grinch for (me) everyone and that's great


End file.
